but, assuring him of their intention to forward his views in life, determined upon paying Mrs. Fearon an unexpected visit, accompanied by her son.

"What the good old lady thought, when she saw a splendid carriage, with rich liveries, and six prancing horses, shining with silver, scarlet, and gold, draw up at her door, I shall leave you to conceive; and what she and Margaret felt at seeing Edward leap out, embrace them in rapture, and present the angelic Matilda, and the noble Mountwilliam, I cannot attempt to describe. But I suppose you would like to see the satisfied and felicitous expression of Mrs. Fearon's face, as she put on the beautiful gold-mounted spectacles, and looked with wonder at the yellow glittering collar, which ornamented the sleeky Dash. And who can paint the joy of an honest dog, when he returns to a beloved home! See how Dash expresses, in eloquent silence, his joy! O! how he runs in and out of every room, smelling each well-known object, as though to ascertain whether it have lost any of its former perfume. O! does not the nobleminded dog, the friend of man, the faithful, firmlyattached bond-servant of his master, unlike the

false ones of this world, in poverty, trial, and death, feel all that the exile experiences-all that love realizes-all that Moore has with magic melody expressed :

"Oh! could'st thou but know

With what a deep devotedness of woe

I wept thy absence-o'er and o'er again,

Thinking of thee, still thee, till thought grew pain;
And memory, like a drop that, night and day,
Falls cold and ceaseless, wore my heart away!'

"It is impossible for truly excellent persons to associate much with each other, and not feel the growth of attachment. The more Lord Mountwilliam saw of the beautiful Margaret, the less able was he to bear her absence from his sight. She at length became the eyes of his soul; he could see only through her; and, in a happy moment, he told her that he had known her before he saw her, and loved her before he had known her. This paradox is above the comprehension of any one but such a lover as Edward; its truth was, however, fully felt by Margaret. The meaning of it is, that they loved so dearly as to find a concentration of all their day and night dreams in each other. "O!' said his lordship, I felt my

I knew at the

that we were

heart glow when my eye rested on the roses you had worked on your brother's bag. time, I felt it deeply in my heart, destined for each other's felicity.' Such delusion there is in the magic of retrospection, before hope has consummated its own disappointment! Well, they, happy pair! soon understood each other.

"But it was not so with Lady Matilda and Edward. He, simple youth, considering the vast distance between the Queen of the Green Castle, and the poor knight, who had wandered to the Island of the Moon in search of the riches of this world, never conceived the hope of aspiring to the possession of her adored hand. O! how he wished that he were a glove; then he would encircle her dear little white palm in his pressure. Indeed, knowing what a degradation it would be for the daughter of a noble lord to ally herself to poverty and an humble name, he made up his mind rather to die than breathe the flame which was consuming him. Her happiness was all he thought of. Such a refining principle there is in true love; as Spenser finely writes

"Such is the power of that sweet passion,
That it all sordid baseness doth expel,
And the refined mind doth newly fashion
Unto a fairer form, which now doth dwell

In his high thought, that would itself excel,
Which he beholding still with constant sight,

Admires the mirrour of so heavenly light.'

"But the fair Matilda, equally refined into forgetfulness of all sordid baseness, was perfectly inclined to exclaim, in the beautiful imagery of Shakspeare:

"O, gentlé Protheus, love's a mighty lord;
And hath so humbled me, as, I confess,

There is no woe to his correction,

Nor, to his service, no such joy on earth!

Now, no discourse, except it be of love;
Now can I break my fast, dine, sup, and sleep
Upon the very naked name of love.'

"Love, like murder, will out. I need not tell you how it happened. What signify the when and the where? It did burst forth, and ended in a sacrifice on Hymen's altar-a double sacrifice; for the same day that Lord Mountwilliam married the beauteous Margaret, her brother Edward was united to the Queen of the Green Castle. Mrs. Fearon had on her gold-mounted spectacles.

Dash sported his glittering collar, wagged his tail, and howled for joy. Blind Peter was also there, with his white dog, red night-cap, stick, and surtout. Nay, Mr. Slipshod, who had contributed so much, was also present; and, in short, since Paddy's wedding, there has not been so much laughing, good eating, drinking, and dancing.— So they are all happy; and thus ends the Green Castle."